Football Game Preview: Northeastern Eagles vs. Martin County Gators

The Northeastern Eagles will head out to take on the Martin County Gators at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.

On Friday, Northeastern got the win against Hertford County by a conclusive 31-6. The Eagles haven't had any issues with the Bears recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive victory against them.

Zak Ishman

Passer Rating

08/22/25 @ Bertie	158.1
10/17/25 vs Hertford County	147.3
10/10/25 vs First Flight	146.5
09/19/25 vs Vance County	143.9
09/05/25 vs Holmes	137.5
+ 3 more games

A big part of Northeastern's win came down to the chemistry between Zak Ishman and his top target Uzziah Harney. Ishman threw for 238 yards and two TDs on only 17 passes while Harney gained 153 total yards and a touchdown. Ishman's passing game has become a key predictor of Northeastern's success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 1-2 otherwise.

Northeastern didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Hertford County to a completion percentage of just 36%. The Eagles weren't nearly as limited: they posted one of 66.7%.

Northeastern's defense didn't let Rucker Nixon, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for five sacks. That dominant display was truly a team effort as five different players picked up one apiece.

Meanwhile, Martin County was not the first on the board on Friday, but they got there more often. They snuck past Currituck County with a 35-29 victory. The win almost wasn't to be: the Gators were down 22-7 in the second quarter.

Martin County's win came from a few key players Northeastern will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jah Sheppard, who rushed for 88 yards and one score on only ten carries. Chris Bell was in the mix as well, providing Martin County with one touchdown.

Northeastern's record is now 6-2. As for Martin County, their record now sits at an identical 6-2.